Director: Baz Luhrmann
Writers: Baz Luhrmann, Craig Pearce
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo
Synopsis: A poet falls for a beautiful courtesan whom a jealous duke covets in this stylish musical, with music drawn from familiar 20th century sources.
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DIRECTION
Moulin Rouge! starts off with an amazing instrumental, an excited composer and a visual element that is very intriguing. I love what Luhrmann does with this film and the aesthetics he brings. You find yourself in his environment where singing and dancing lift you and you’re drawn into his crazy, weird but amazing world. Moulin Rouge! is Luhrmann’s “weirdest” film but it works so well and is perfectly fitting to the film. He gets amazing performances and uses music extremely intelligently. I love his use of classic and, at the time, modern songs with elegant dance routines or movements that bring the characters and setting to life. It’s easily the best film for Baz Luhrmann so far.
Grade: A+
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SCRIPT
I love this script. A story about a man learning and fighting for the one thing he believes in, love. It’s his main driving force and is the center piece for every decision he makes, which eventually will drive him crazy and bring him pain, but it’s worth the fight. The script is filled with great dialogue and extremely fun songs that draw me into the Moulin Rouge! The story is filled with heartache, romance, jealousy and life and while some of it gets a little dull in the middle, overall it’s Luhrmann at his best.
Grade: A-
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PERFORMANCES
Ewan McGregor is extremely amazing in this film. He does a phenomenal job of making you love his character and root for him as he’s fighting for his love and his beliefs. His movements are spot on and delivers the lines perfectly. Nicole Kidman is also amazing in this film and you really feel for her character and the struggle she’s in. The chemestry between Kidman and McGregor is great and they pull off the love story the way it needed to be, full of love, pain, and joy. All of the supporting cast is amazing and is extremely flawless too which gives this movie an easy and fun watch. Some of the characters aren’t necessary and pull away from some scenes but it’s nothing in the grand scheme of things.
Grade: A-
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SCORE
Craig Armstrong brings a strong score, especially in the opening and closing title sequences. There’s a strong use of classic and modern songs that really elevate this movie too. All of the music is used perfectly and integrated in the best way possible. Their all fun songs to listen to outside of the movie and I’d highly recommend it.
Grade: A
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